Chris Hani's killer Janusz Walus denied parole

Former SA Communist Party leader Chris Hani’s assassin has been denied parole.

Justice Minister Michael Masutha announced his decision at a press briefing on Friday. This follows a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling in August which gave the minister 90 days to make a decision.

Walus, a Polish immigrant, and Conservative Party MP Clive Derby-Lewis, who supplied the weapon Walus used to kill the SACP leader in the driveway of his Boksburg home in 1993, were sentenced to death for the murder in October 1993.

Their death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment in November 2000.

Walus applied for parole in 2013 but Masutha turned down his application in April 2015.

Walus then launched a review application in the North Gauteng High Court which ultimately set aside the minister’s decision and order and ordered that he must be released within 14 days.

Masutha applied for leave to appeal, which was dismissed.
The minister then applied to the Supreme Court of Appeal for leave to appeal against the ruling.

The appeals court in August upheld an appeal by Masutha against the North Gauteng High Court’s decision to release Walus on parole.

Walus continued to serve his time in prison during these court processes.

Derby-Lewis, who was released from prison on medical parole in June 2015 after serving 22 years for his role in Hani’s murder, died from lung cancer on November 3. He was 80 years old.